Things that appear not, are as if they were not. Nothing appears, but by the light. This is most true of spiritual light; when that ariseth upon any place or people, that place or people are turned as clay to the seal, only with this difference, the natural light of the Sun doth only manifest what figures or stamps are already impressed upon the earth, it doth not make any there, which were not there before; but where the Sun-shine of the Gospel comes, though it were a place as rude as Barbarism it self, 'tis turned into another shape, the people are quite another people in their manners and conversation. It was so with this Nation, we were once as rude heathens as any in the world; but by the light of the Gospel we were turned as clay to the seal; we received the figure of Grace, the figure of Christianity. And ⟨p. 137⟩at this day, in those places among the Indians, where the Gospel hath lately come, marvellous changes are wrought upon them; they have another stamp upon their tongues, another kind of language; another stamp both upon hand and foot, another kind of working and walking than before. As the light of the Gospel discovers evil persons to themselves (a natural man knows not of what shape he is, till he sees himself in that light) so it makes them good, and puts a new stamp, a new figure upon them; it makes them indeed new creatures, new men; they are turned (through the mighty power of the Spirit accompanying that light) as clay to the seal. Such (that is, as bad as could be) were some of you (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6.11.) but ye are washed, &c. that is, ye are now other manner of men than once ye were. It is turned as clay to the seal, And they stand as a garment.
Things that appear not, are as if they were not. Nothing appears, but by the light. This is most true of spiritual light; when that ariseth upon any place or people, that place or people are turned as clay to the seal, onely with this difference, the natural light of the Sun doth only manifest what figures or stamps are already impressed upon the earth, it doth not make any there, which were not there before; but where the Sun-shine of the Gospel comes, though it were a place as rude as Barbarisme it self, 'tis turned into another shape, the people are quite another people in their manners and conversation. It was so with this Nation, we were once as rude heathens as any in the world; but by the light of the Gospel we were turned as clay to the seal; we received the figure of Grace, the figure of Christianity. And ⟨p. 137⟩at this day, in those places among the Indians, where the Gospel hath lately come, marvelous changes are wrought upon them; they have another stamp upon their tongues, another kind of language; another stamp both upon hand and foot, another kind of working and walking than before. As the light of the Gospel discovers evil persons to themselves (a natural man knows not of what shape he is, till he sees himself in that light) so it makes them good, and puts a new stamp, a new figure upon them; it makes them indeed new creatures, new men; they are turned (through the mighty power of the Spirit accompanying that light) as clay to the seal. Such (that is, as bad as could be) were some of you (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6.11.) but ye are washed, &c. that is, ye are now other manner of men than once ye were. It is turned as clay to the seal, And they stand as a garment.
